What it means
سادهلوح (sâde-loh) means naive or gullible, describing someone who is too trusting and easily deceived. The word is a compound of two different origins: ساده (sâde) is Persian for simple or plain, while لوح (lowh) is Arabic for tablet or surface, as in a blank slate. The image is of a person whose mind is like a blank tablet, ready to receive whatever is written on it. A close synonym is زودباور (zudbâvar), meaning quick to believe. The word sits at B2 level partly because the compound origin and the slightly ironic tone require some cultural familiarity to use naturally.
How to use it
- اون آدم سادهلوحیه، هر چیزی بهش بگی باور میکنه. (on âdam sâde-lohieh, har chizi behesh begi bâvar mikone.) “He is a naive person, he believes whatever you tell him.”
- سادهلوح نباش، این یه کلاهبرداریه. (sâde-loh nabâsh, in ye kalâhbardâriyeh.) “Don’t be gullible, this is a scam.”
- با سادهلوحی پول دادم. (bâ sâde-lohi pool dâdam.) “I gave the money naively.”
- فکر نکن سادهلوحم. (fekr nakon sâde-loham.) “Don’t think I’m gullible.”
Cultural note
In Persian social culture, being سادهلوح is rarely seen as an innocent or charming quality. It implies a lack of ziraki, the shrewdness and social intelligence Iranians consider essential for navigating daily life. The word is often used in warnings, as in cautioning someone before a business deal or personal relationship. It appears with some frequency in Persian media and literature to describe characters who fall victim to manipulation, and its slightly literary compound structure means it belongs more to educated or written Persian than to the most casual street speech.